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Our Approach

Evaluation Philosophy

The mission of the Center for Educational Opportunity Programs (CEOP) is to help students overcome academic, economic, social and cultural barriers to higher education. The evaluation team is a distinct unit within CEOP that promotes and facilitates data-driven decision-making among programs serving low-income and first-generation students. CEOP believes service delivery and evaluation go hand in hand and are critical to a program’s success. CEOP requires all staff members, particularly the evaluation team, to be well-versed in best practices for college access, choice and achievement.

Approach to Services

CEOP’s primary goals are to eliminate achievement gaps between advantaged and disadvantaged students, and to prepare students to succeed in college and beyond. CEOP embraces a cradle-to-career approach, recognizing that early and ongoing intervention at multiple levels is key to college- and career-readiness. Consistent with this approach, the evaluation team utilizes a social-ecological framework to guide its work.

According to a growing body of research, there are four areas of service that relate most directly to overcoming obstacles to educational achievement.

Early childhood education to provide children with critical language development, social and emotional development, and cognitive and general knowledge.